Call preview system

ABSTRACT

A caller may initiate a phone call to a device. A call preview system may send a preview message in conjunction with the phone call. The preview message may contain preview information that identifies the caller. The call preview system may use a text or media messaging service to send the preview message. Callers can manage their own preview information relieving each user from continuously updating contact information in personal contact directories. The call preview system may use different schemes for initiating phone calls. In one example, the call preview system may initiate or forward phone calls in conjunction with sending the preview message. In another example, the call preview system may delay calling a phone number or delay forwarding the phone call until a message is received acknowledging the preview message or accepting the phone call.

The application is a continuation patent application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/930,661 filed Jun. 28, 2013 entitled “CALLPREVIEW SYSTEM,” which is herein incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

BACKGROUND

Cellular telephone systems may use caller identification (caller ID) toscreen phone calls. The cell phone may store contact informationcontaining names and phone numbers of persons or entities. The cellphone may compare a phone number of an incoming phone call with phonenumbers in the contact information. The cell phone may display a name inthe contact information that matches the phone number of the incomingphone call.

When no contact information matches the phone number of the incomingphone call, the cell phone only displays the telephone number. The userthen must choose to answer the phone call or decline to answer the phonecall based only on the phone number displayed on the cell phone.

Users must constantly update contact information with new phone numbers,home addresses, telephone addresses, etc. Even with constant updates tothe contact information, unknown callers are still only identified bythe phone number of the incoming phone call. Phone numbers alone providelittle or no information about the identity of the caller. Thus, cellphones may not provide sufficient preview information for screeningphone calls.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

FIG. 1 depicts an example call preview system.

FIGS. 2-5 depict example operations performed by the call previewsystem.

FIG. 6 depicts example call preview information.

FIG. 7 depicts another example of call preview information.

FIG. 8 depicts an example call preview process.

FIG. 9 depicts an example data file containing preview information

FIG. 10 depicts an example configuration file used by the call previewsystem.

FIG. 11 depicts an example computing system for implementing the callpreview system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A call preview system uses text messages or media messages to previewphone calls. A caller may initiate a phone call to a device. The callpreview system may send a preview message to the device in conjunctionwith the phone call. The preview message contains preview informationabout the caller and is displayed on the device. The preview message maybe a text message such as a short message service (SMS) and/or a datamessage such as a multimedia messaging service (MMS) message.

Callers can manage their own preview information. This relieves deviceusers from continuously updating contact information in personal contactdirectories. The call preview system may display preview informationeven for unfamiliar callers that are not in the personal contactdirectories.

The preview messages may contain any type of data, including text ormedia. For example, the preview message may contain a name and addressof the caller. The preview message also may contain image, video, audio,or contact details (e.g., vCard) of the caller. The caller may use aconfiguration file to control what preview information is sent in thepreview message and when different types of preview information are sentin the preview message. For example, the caller may send text data to afirst phone number and may send a picture or audio data to a secondphone number.

The call preview system may use different schemes for initiating phonecalls. In one example, the call preview system may send the previewmessage and the associated phone call to a call receiving device ataround the same time. In another example, the call preview system mayinitiate or forward the phone call after the preview message has beenacknowledged.

FIG. 1 depicts an example call preview system 100. A phone system 110may comprise any combination of local area networks (LANs), wide areanetworks (WANs), Internet Protocol (IP) networks, phone networks, PublicServices Telephone Networks (PSTN), wireless networks, cellularnetworks, Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth networks, cable networks, databuses, or the like, or any combination thereof used for establishingphone calls and transferring information between a device 102A and adevice 102B. Phone system 110 also may include voice over InternetProtocol (VoIP) servers, gateways, routers, or the like, for relayingvoice and/or data packets over voice/data network.

Phone system 110 also may comprise a call server 112 and a database 114.Call server 112 may comprise any computing system configured to receiveand process phone calls and generate preview messages. Call server 112may comprise multiple processing devices coupled together andcommunicating with database 114 via any combination of networks and/orbuses as described above. In one example, phone system 110 and/or callserver 112 may include, comprise, and/or operate a virtual public branchexchange (PBX) server, a short messaging service (SMS), and/or amultimedia messaging service (MMS) configured to send and receive textand/or media messages.

Devices 102A and 102B may comprise any computing device that can sendand receive phone calls. For example, devices 102A and 102B may comprisetablet computers, hand-held devices, smart telephones, mobiletelephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), laptop computers,personal computers, computer terminals, voice over internet protocol(VoIP) phones, PSTN phones, plain old telephone service (POTS) phones,or the like, or any combination thereof. In one example, at least device102B is configured to also receive text or media messages, such as SMSand MMS messages.

Database 114 may contain directories associated with different devices,including device 102A and device 102B. For example, a directory 116 maycontain a phone number 118 for device 102A. Directory 116 also mayinclude a text file 120A that contains the name of a user A for device102A and any other text information that may identify user A. Forexample, text file 120A may include the home address, business phone,business address, and/or email address for user A.

Directory 116 also may include media files, such as an audio file 120Band/or an image or video file 120C. Audio file 120B may contain arecording of user A. For example, audio file 120B may comprise a movingpicture experts group (MPEG) audio layer III (MP3) file containing arecording of the voice of user A saying something such as: “Hi, this isJerry Jones.” Image/video file 120C may comprise a picture or video ofuser A. For example, file 120C may comprise a portable document format(PDF) picture of Jerry Jones, a MP3 file containing a video of JerryJones, or a vCard containing contact information for Jerry Jones, whichrecipient can save to his or her own contacts.

A configuration file 122 may be associated with directory 116.Parameters in configuration file 122 may determine how phone system 110forwards preview messages and voice calls. Directory 116 andconfiguration file 122 may be associated with device 102A and user A mayselectively input or change preview data in directory 116 and parametersin configuration file 122. Other directories 116 and configuration files122 may be associated with other devices and users.

User A may set a control parameter in configuration file 122 thatdirects call server 112 to load text file 120A into a preview message130. In another example, configuration file 122 may direct call server112 to load both text file 120A and image/video file 120C into previewmessage 130. Other parameters in configuration file 122 are discussed inmore detail below.

User A may enter a phone number 104 into device 102A. Phone number 104may be for device 102B. Device 102A then may initiate a phone call 108to device 102B. Connection information in phone call 108 identifies boththe phone number 104 for device 102B and the phone number 118 for device102A. In this example, phone number 118 for device 102A is 415-555-1212and phone number 104 for device 102B is 800-513-1320.

In response to receiving phone call 108, call server 112 associates thecaller phone number 415-555-1212 with phone number 118 in directory 116.Call server 112 checks associated configuration file 122 for any controlparameters previously set by user A. For example, the control parametersmay identify what preview information in directory 116 to load intopreview message 130.

Based on configuration file 122, call server 112 sends preview message130 to device 102B. In this example, preview message 130 includes thename and address of user A. Preview message 130 also contains phonenumber 104 originally dialed by user A. For example, user A may havedialed a work number for user B. User B may have previously programmedcall server 112 to forward business calls to device 102B.

In another example, user A may enter a specific preview message 130 tosend to user B. User A may enter a specific preview message 130 manuallyor by selecting from a set of preconfigured preview messages. Forexample, the preview message 130 entered by user A may indicate thepriority of the call (e.g., “urgent”, “emergency”) or the subject matterof the call (e.g., “dinner plans”, “your appointment”).

Device 102B displays preview information 134 contained in previewmessage 130 on screen 135. Before, during, or after receiving previewmessage 130, device 102B may receive phone call 108. Phone call 108 mayinclude caller ID information 136 for device 102A. For example, phonecall 108 may include the phone number 415-555-1212 for device 102A.Device 102B also may display caller ID information 136 on screen 135.Caller ID information 136 provides a visual correlation between previewinformation 134 and phone call 108. For example, preview information 134and call ID information 136 contain the same caller phone number415-555-1212. This notifies user B that preview information 134 isassociated with incoming phone call 108.

Based on any combination of preview information 134 and/or caller IDinformation 136, user B may select a mechanical button or an electronicimage or icon button 138 that answers phone call 108. Alternatively,user B may select a mechanical button or electronic image or icon button140 to decline or disconnect phone call 108. Preview information 134 ismanaged by user A and not by user B. Thus, device 102B does not need tomaintain a contacts directory containing the name and phone number ofuser A in order to display the name of the user A in response toreceiving call 108.

The example in FIG. 1 shows phone system 110 maintaining database 114,directory 116, and configuration file 122 and sending preview message130 to device 102B. In another example, device 102A may store and managedirectory 116 and configuration file 122 for user A. An applicationoperating in device 102A may detect user A selecting a call button toinitiate phone call 108. The application on device 102A may load previewinformation 134 from a locally stored directory 116 into a previewmessage 130. The application on device 102A, instead of phone system110, then may send the preview message to device 102B

Any type of device 102A may send preview messages 130. A device 102Awithout a text message capability may use phone system 110 to sendpreview message 130. A device 102A with text message capability may sendpreview message 130 without using phone system 110. Thus, somedirectories 116 and associated configuration files 122 may be stored andmanaged centrally within phone system 110 and other directories 116 andassociated configuration files 122 may be stored and managed locally ondevice 102A.

Since phone system 110 may generate preview messages 130 for somedevices, device A may be any type of wired or wireless device, such as acell phone, PSTN phone, POTS phone, analog phone, digital phone,Internet phone, computer, PC, notebook, or any other device that caninitiate phone call 108. In at least one example, device 102B is anysimilar type of device that can also receive preview message 130, suchas a device that can receive SMS or MMS messages.

FIG. 2 depicts one example of how the call preview system may send apreview message. Device 102A may initiate phone call 108 in operation150. In operation 152, phone system 110 may send preview message 130 todevice 102B in response to receiving phone call 108. In operation 154,phone system 110 also forwards phone call 108 to device 102B.

In operation 155, device 102B displays preview information 134 inpreview message 130. In operation 156, user B either answers phone call108 or declines phone call 108 based on the displayed previewinformation. If accepted, a phone connection is established betweendevice 102A and 102B. If declined, phone call 108 is either disconnectedor sent to voicemail for device 102B.

FIG. 3 depicts another example of how the call preview system may sendpreview messages. Device 102A may initiate phone call 108 in operation160. For example, user A may enter a phone number into device 102A andpress a call button. Operation 162 may send preview message 130 todevice 102B in response to detecting selection of the call button.Operation 162 may be based on a field selected by the user in aconfiguration file. For example, the user may select a field in theconfiguration file that directs device 102A to send preview message 130prior to sending phone call 108. After sending preview message 130,operation 164 sends phone call 108 by calling device 102B. For example,operation 164 may call the phone number previously entered by user A inoperation 160.

Device 102B receives preview message 130 via a data messaging service,such as SMS or MMS and receives phone call 108 over a telephone service,such as a cellular telephone service. In operation 165, device 102Bdisplays preview information 134 from preview message 130. User B viewsthe preview information and either answers or declines phone call 108 inoperation 166. If declined, phone call 108 may be directed to avoicemail system for device 102B. For example, phone system 110 may playa pre-recorded message to device 102A indicating user B is notavailable. User A then may leave a voice message in phone system 110 foruser B.

FIG. 4 depicts another example of how the call preview system may sendpreview messages. In operation 170, user A may enter a phone number fordevice 102B into device 102A. Operation 172 may send preview message 130to device 102B in response to user A pressing the call button on device102A.

In operation 174, device 102B may receive preview message 130 andautomatically send an acknowledgment (ack) message back to device 102A.For example, device 102B may automatically send an SMS acknowledgemessage back to device 102A indicating successful receipt of previewmessage 130. Operation 176 may send phone call 108 to device 102B inresponse to receiving the acknowledgement message. For example, device102A may call device 102A. Thus, preview message 130 is ensured ofarriving before phone call 108.

FIG. 5 depicts another example of how the call preview system may sendpreview messages. In operation 180, user A dials the phone number fordevice 102B. In operation 182, device 102A sends preview message 130 todevice 102B in response to user A pressing the call button. Device 102Bdisplays the preview information contained in preview message 130 inoperation 183.

In operation 184, user B can either accept or reject the call associatedwith preview message 130. For example, user B may accept the call byselecting an accept icon displayed in the preview information 134 oruser B may reject the call by selecting a decline icon displayed inpreview information 134. Device 102B sends an accept/reject message 185back to device 102A in response to the selection by user B. In oneexample, message 185 comprises an SMS message or MMS message.

In response to receiving message 185 back from device 102B, operation186 may either send phone call 108 to device 102B or terminate phonecall 130. For example, if message 185 accepts the call, device 102A maycall the phone number previously entered into device 102A in operation180. If message 185 rejects the call, device 102A may cancel phone call108 by deleting the phone number previously entered into device 102A.

In another example, phone system 110 receives phone call 108 from device102A and sends associated preview message 130 to device 102B. If message185 rejects the call, phone system 110 may terminate phone call 108 orsend phone call 108 to a voicemail box for device 102B.

In yet another example, device 102A may send preview message 130 withoutuser A ever dialing the phone number for device 102B. For example,device 102A may display the contact information for user B. The contactinformation may include the phone number for device 102B. A contactsoftware application operating on device 102A displays a phone icon forcalling contacts. In response to selecting the phone icon, device 102Amay send preview message 130 to device 102B.

Preview message 130 may include an “accept call” icon and a “rejectcall” icon. In another example, a software application for text messageson device 102B may display the “accept call” icon and the “reject call”icon in response to receiving preview message 130. In another example, asoftware application for text messages on device 102B may display an“accept call” hyperlink and a “reject call” hyperlink. The selection ofthe “accept call” or “reject call” hyperlink can result in thetransmission of a corresponding data or text message back to device102A. In another example, preview message 130 may include otherresponses such as “delay call for X minutes”, “reject call—on the otherline”, or “reject call—busy with work”. Either way, device 102B displayspreview information 134 in preview message 130 identifying user A.

Device 102B sends message 185 back to device 102A in response to user Bselecting the “accept call” or “reject call” icons. If message 185accepts the call, device 102A automatically dials/sends the phone numberin the contacts directory for device 102B. If message 185 rejects thecall, device 102A does not dial/send the phone number. Device 102A alsomay display text in message 185 indicating the call request was eitheraccepted or declined. If message 185 delays the call, device 102A mayautomatically call user B after the appropriate time period, or device102A may remind user A to call user B after the appropriate time period.

Preview message 130 allows user B to preview a call request and eitheraccept or reject the call request before device A sends phone call 108to device 102B. Thus, device 102A can avoid sending phone calls that maydisturb user B. Accepted phone calls have been preapproved by user B andare therefore are also less likely to disturb user B.

Preview message 130, device 102A, and/or device 102B may have time outvalues. User B may not respond within some amount of time after device102A sends preview message 130. If a timeout period is detected, previewmessage 130 may be deleted, the “decline call” icon automaticallyselected, and/or the phone call automatically aborted.

User B may record a message on a voicemail system indicating that nophone calls will be answered prior to receiving a preview message 130that identifies the caller. User B also may record a message on thevoicemail answering indicating no calls will be answered unless user Bfirst accepts preview message 130.

As mentioned above, either device 102A or phone system 110 may sendpreview messages 130. Either device 102A or phone system 110 also mayreceive responses to preview messages 130 from device 102B. It should beunderstood that any operations described above or below may be performedby any combination of phone system 110, device 102A, and/or device 102B.

FIG. 6 depicts on example of how device 102B may display previewinformation 134. In one example, device 102B may operate a messagesoftware application that displays an electronic page 190 within screen135. The message application may display a decline button or icon 140and an answer button or icon 138. In another example, previewinformation 134 may include decline button 140 and answer button 138.

Preview information 134 may include a name 134A of the caller, a phonenumber 134B of the device calling device 102B, and a phone number 134Cthe caller used for calling device 102B. As explained above, the phonenumber of phone 102B and phone number 134C may be different. Forexample, phone number 134C may be the work number for user B. A virtualPBX system may forward phone number 134C to the phone number associatedwith device 102B.

In one example, the calling device or device 102B may track the numberof phone calls sent to device 102B. In another example, the callingdevice or device 102B may track the number of preview messages sent tophone 102B. The number is constantly tracked and loaded in directory 116in FIG. 1. The calling device may load the number of calls and/or thenumber of preview messages into the preview message. Device 102B thendisplays the call or preview count 134D. Preview information 134 alsomay include a picture or video 134E of the caller. Preview information134 also may include an audio file that plays audio 134F out of aspeaker 192.

In response to selecting decline button 140, the call is not answeredand may be sent to the voicemail for device 102B. In another example,device 102B sends a reply message in response to selection of declinebutton 140 that causes the calling device to abort sending a phone callto device 102B. If answer button 138 is selected, device 102B answersany previously sent phone call. In other example, selecting answerbutton 138 causes device 102B to send a reply message or acknowledgementto the calling device or to the phone system. The calling device theninitiates the phone call to device 102B or the phone system thenconnects a previously received phone call to device 102B.

FIG. 7 depicts another example of preview information. Device 102B againdisplays caller name 134A, caller phone number 134B, and called phonenumber 134C. In this example, the calling device tracks each previewmessage and phone call sent to device 102B. The calling device generatesa call thread 194 that identifies all of the preview messages and phonecalls sent to device 102B and the times each preview message and phonecall was sent.

The calling device loads call thread 194 into the preview message anddevice 102B displays call thread 194 as part of preview information 134.For example, call thread 194 may include a preview message 194A sent todevice 102B at 10:00 am, a phone call 194B sent to device 102B at 10:01am, a preview message 194C sent to device 102B at 11:20 am, and a phonecall 194D sent to device 102B at 2:34 pm. In another example, device102B may track phone calls and preview messages received from callersand display call thread 194 whenever a phone call or preview message isreceived from the same associated caller.

FIG. 8 depicts an example process for the call preview system. Operation200 detects a phone call. As mentioned above, the phone call may bedetected by the calling device or may be detected by a phone system thatreceives the call from the calling device. Operation 202 reads aconfiguration file associated with the calling device. The configurationfile identifies what preview information to load into the previewmessage.

Operation 204 loads data files for the identified preview informationinto the preview message. For example, operation 204 may load a textfile with the caller name and may load a PDF file with a picture of thecaller. Operation 206 sends the preview message to the phone number inthe phone call.

Operation 208 may initiate the phone call based on fields selected inthe configuration file and based on any reply message received back inresponse to the preview message. For example, the caller may have set afield in the configuration file that causes the calling device to onlysend a phone call after receiving a reply message accepting the phonecall. In another example, the caller may set a field in theconfiguration file that always sends phone calls after sendingassociated preview messages.

FIG. 9 depicts one example of different preview information that may bestored in data directory 116 and loaded into a preview message. A usermay select different combinations of boxes 212 to identify which previewinformation to load into the preview message. Directory 116 may containother preview information that also may identify the identity of thecaller.

A phone number 210A may be the phone number of the calling device thatis initiating the phone call. A name 210B may be the name of the callerthat is making the phone call. A work number 210C may be the work numberof the caller. A mailing address 210D may be the mailing address of thecaller and an email address 210E may be the email address of the caller.

A picture 210F may be a picture of the caller or some other identifyingimage. Video file 210G may be a video of the caller or again some otheridentifying video. For example, the caller may provide a videointroduction in video file 210G. An audio file 210H may be an audiorecording of the caller or again any other identifying audio data.

FIG. 10 depicts an example of a configuration file 122. A user mayselect different combinations of boxes 216 to specify how previewmessages are sent to different devices. It should be understood thatconfiguration file 122 is just one example of control parameters and anyvariety of preview information may be sent in a preview message in anyvariety of different schemes.

A field 214A may enable the calling device to send the preview message.For example, the user might not need to select field 214A if a serveroperating in a phone system sends preview messages. Field 214B directsthe device to send specified preview information to specified phonenumbers. For example, the user may decide to send name 210B to all phonenumbers and only send picture 210F to a selected set of phone numbersidentified in field 214B. Field 214C configures the device to senddifferent preview information at different times. For example, field214C may direct the device sending the preview message to load name 210Band work phone number 210C into preview messages sent during work hoursand direct the device to send name 210B and picture 210F during non-workhours and weekends.

Field 214D may direct the device to only send phone calls afterreceiving an acknowledgment of the preview message or an acceptance ofthe preview message. For example, the user may enter a phone number intothe calling device and press the call button. The calling device mayfirst send the preview message to the target device. The user of thedevice receiving the preview message may read the preview informationand send a text message back to the calling device accepting the phonecall. The calling device may complete the phone call after receiving themessage back from the target device.

In the phone system example, the phone server may receive the phone callfrom the calling device and send the preview message. If file 214D isselected, the phone server forwards the phone call after receiving thereplay message back from the target device.

Field 214E may direct the calling device or the phone server to countthe number of phone calls and/or preview messages sent to a same phonenumber. The calling device or phone server loads the count number intothe preview message sent to the associated target device.

Field 214F may direct the calling device, phone server, or the targetdevice to generate a call thread for the preview messages and the phonecalls. For example, the calling device or the phone server may storephone calls sent from the calling device to the same phone number. Inanother example, the receiving device or the phone server may track allof the phone calls and preview messages received from a same caller.When the target device receives another phone call or preview messagefrom the same caller, the target device may display the threadidentifying in chronological order each phone call and preview messagepreviously received from the caller.

FIG. 11 shows a computing device 1000 that may be used for operating thesocial analytic system and performing any combination of the socialanalytics discussed above. The computing device 1000 may operate in thecapacity of a server or a client machine in a server-client networkenvironment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed)network environment. In other examples, computing device 1000 may be apersonal computer (PC), a tablet, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), acellular telephone, a smart phone, a web appliance, or any other machineor device capable of executing instructions 1006 (sequential orotherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine.

While only a single computing device 1000 is shown, the computing device1000 may include any collection of devices or circuitry thatindividually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructionsto perform any one or more of the operations discussed above. Computingdevice 1000 may be part of an integrated control system or systemmanager, or may be provided as a portable electronic device configuredto interface with a networked system either locally or remotely viawireless transmission.

Processors 1004 may comprise a central processing unit (CPU), a graphicsprocessing unit (GPU), programmable logic devices, dedicated processorsystems, micro controllers, or microprocessors that may perform some orall of the operations described above. Processors 1004 may also include,but may not be limited to, an analog processor, a digital processor, amicroprocessor, multi-core processor, processor array, networkprocessor, etc.

Some of the operations described above may be implemented in softwareand other operations may be implemented in hardware. One or more of theoperations, processes, or methods described herein may be performed byan apparatus, device, or system similar to those as described herein andwith reference to the illustrated figures.

Processors 1004 may execute instructions or “code” 1006 stored in anyone of memories 1008, 1010, or 1020. The memories may store data aswell. Instructions 1006 and data can also be transmitted or receivedover a network 1014 via a network interface device 1012 utilizing anyone of a number of well-known transfer protocols.

Memories 1008, 1010, and 1020 may be integrated together with processingdevice 1000, for example RAM or FLASH memory disposed within anintegrated circuit microprocessor or the like. In other examples, thememory may comprise an independent device, such as an external diskdrive, storage array, or any other storage devices used in databasesystems. The memory and processing devices may be operatively coupledtogether, or in communication with each other, for example by an I/Oport, network connection, etc. such that the processing device may reada file stored on the memory.

Some memory may be “read only” by design (ROM) by virtue of permissionsettings, or not. Other examples of memory may include, but may be notlimited to, WORM, EPROM, EEPROM, FLASH, etc. which may be implemented insolid state semiconductor devices. Other memories may comprise movingparts, such a conventional rotating disk drive. All such memories may be“machine-readable” in that they may be readable by a processing device.

“Computer-readable storage medium” (or alternatively, “machine-readablestorage medium”) may include all of the foregoing types of memory, aswell as new technologies that may arise in the future, as long as theymay be capable of storing digital information in the nature of acomputer program or other data, at least temporarily, in such a mannerthat the stored information may be “read” by an appropriate processingdevice. The term “computer-readable” may not be limited to thehistorical usage of “computer” to imply a complete mainframe,mini-computer, desktop, wireless device, or even a laptop computer.Rather, “computer-readable” may comprise storage medium that may bereadable by a processor, processing device, or any computing system.Such media may be any available media that may be locally and/orremotely accessible by a computer or processor, and may include volatileand non-volatile media, and removable and non-removable media.

Computing device 1000 can further include a video display 1016, such asa liquid crystal display (LCD) or a cathode ray tube (CRT)) and a userinterface 1018, such as a keyboard, mouse, touch screen, etc. All of thecomponents of computing device 1000 may be connected together via a bus1002 and/or network.

For the sake of convenience, operations may be described as variousinterconnected or coupled functional blocks or diagrams. However, theremay be cases where these functional blocks or diagrams may beequivalently aggregated into a single logic device, program or operationwith unclear boundaries.

Having described and illustrated the principles of a preferredembodiment, it should be apparent that the embodiments may be modifiedin arrangement and detail without departing from such principles. Claimis made to all modifications and variation coming within the spirit andscope of the following claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising: detecting, by acomputing device, a phone call directed to a receiving device;identifying, by the computing device, preview information associatedwith the phone call wherein the preview information includes a list ofprevious voice calls and text messages from the calling device to thereceiving device; sending, by the computing device, the previewinformation to the receiving device in a preview message in response todetecting initiation of the phone call; and connecting, by the computingdevice, the phone call to the receiving device responsive to receiving aresponse message in response to the preview message indicatingacceptance of the phone call.
 2. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising sending, by the computing device, a short message service(SMS) or a multimedia messaging service (MMS) message from a mobilephone to the receiving device containing the preview information.
 3. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: inserting, by the computingdevice, a delay time period into the preview message; and sending, bythe computing device, the phone call to the receiving device after thedelay time period based on the response message indicating a selectionof the delay time period in the preview message.
 4. The method of claim1, wherein the preview information comprises audio, image, and/or videodata identifying an identity of a user placing the phone call.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: detecting, by the computingdevice, initiation of the phone call over a phone network from a callingdevice; sending, by the computing device, the preview message as a textor media message over a data network to the receiving device in responseto detecting initiation of the phone call over the phone network; andcompleting, by the computing device, the phone call over the phonenetwork to the receiving device in response to receiving the responsemessage over the data network.
 6. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: initiating, by the computing device, the phone call from amobile phone; storing, by the computing device, the preview informationin the mobile phone; sending, by the computing device, the previewmessage from the mobile phone in response to detecting initiation of thephone call from the mobile phone.
 7. The method of claim 6, furthercomprising sending, by the computing device, the phone call from themobile phone to the receiving device in response to receiving theresponse message back from the receiving device.
 8. The method of claim1, wherein the response message is automatically sent by the receivingdevice upon successful receipt of the preview message.
 9. An apparatus,comprising: logic circuitry configured to: detect a phone call initiatedby a calling device and directed to a receiving device; generate apreview message in response to detecting the phone call, wherein thepreview message identifies a user of the calling device and includes alist of prior communications from the calling device to the receivingdevice; send the preview message to the receiving device using a text ordata service of a communication network; and send the phone call to thereceiving device over a separate phone service based on a reply messagereceived back from the receiving device indicating acceptance of thephone call.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the logic circuitry isfurther configured to abort the phone call to the receiving device basedon a reply message received back from the receiving device indicatingrejection of the phone call, or based on no reply message received backfrom the receiving device.
 11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein thepreview message comprises a thread of previous phone calls and/orpreview messages sent from the calling device to the receiving device.12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the phone call comprises acellular phone call and the preview message comprises a short messagingservice (SMS) message or multimedia messaging service (MMS) message. 13.The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the logic circuitry comprises aserver.
 14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the logic circuitryoperates on the calling device and the calling device comprises acellular telephone.
 15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the logiccircuitry is further configured to: store preview information editableby the user; and load at least some of the preview information into thepreview message.
 16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the logiccircuitry is further configured to: store user editable configurationdata; and determine when to send the preview message to the receivingdevice based on the configuration data.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16,wherein the logic circuitry is further configured to: identify a numberof phone calls and/or preview messages sent to the receiving device; andidentify the number of phone calls and/or preview messages in thepreview based on the configuration data.
 18. A mobile calling device,comprising: a memory containing preview information associated with themobile calling device, wherein the preview information identifies a userof the mobile calling device and includes prior communications from thecalling device to a receiving device; and logic circuitry configured to:detect a phone number for the receiving device; load the previewinformation into a preview message; send the preview message to thereceiving device over a first network; and use the phone number to callthe receiving device over a second network in response to receiving aresponse message back from the receiving device over the first networkindicating acceptance of the phone call.
 19. The mobile calling deviceof claim 18, wherein: the first network comprises a text messagingservice or media messaging service network; and the second networkcomprise a telephone network.